Oman Chamber Highlights Private Sector Support and New Economic Opportunities

The “Partners in Achievement” forum showcases the efforts of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry in supporting the private sector.

Muscat: The Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) organised the “Partners in Achievement” forum today to highlight its efforts and achievements during the past four years in strengthening the role of the private sector in Oman’s economic development.

The forum also featured the honouring of the Chamber’s sectoral committees in recognition of their contributions and efforts in supporting its objectives.

During the event, the Chamber unveiled the design of its new headquarters in Al Irfan City, Muscat.

Faisal bin Abdullah Al Rawas, Chairman of the OCCI Board of Directors, said the achievements recorded during the Board’s 2022–2026 term reflect institutional development in the Chamber’s role and integrated efforts to enhance the competitiveness of the private sector, expand business opportunities and strengthen its position as a key partner in economic development.

He noted that the Chamber strengthened its financial sustainability through the growth of its investment portfolio, which increased by 45% to RO 67.1 million by the end of 2025, compared with RO 46.4 million at the end of 2022.

The new headquarters is being developed in response to the expansion of the Chamber’s responsibilities and services. The building is planned to feature smart workspaces and advanced facilities for conferences and events and is designed with the aim of obtaining the international LEED and WELL certifications for sustainability, indoor environmental quality and user well-being.

As part of efforts to strengthen governance and institutional performance, the Chamber introduced 35 new regulations in 2026 and updated three existing regulations, bringing the total number of approved and updated regulations to 38.

The Chamber has also expanded the role of its branches across Oman to serve as local economic platforms for business owners, connecting their needs with government agencies, private-sector entities and investors.

Between 2023 and April 2026, the branches conducted around 604 activities, including workshops, seminars, exhibitions, conferences and meetings, and held 1,723 meetings with government and private entities and investors.

The Sohar Investment Forum, held in two editions in 2024 and 2026, attracted more than 1,750 participants from 32 countries. The forums presented 145 investment opportunities worth about RO 1.3 billion, alongside agreements and memoranda of understanding valued at approximately RO 127 million.

The Chamber has also worked to expand access for Omani businesses to international markets and strengthen links between local business owners and international counterparts.

From 2023 to June 2026, the Chamber received 169 trade delegations, sent 58 Omani trade delegations abroad and participated in 76 local and international exhibitions.

The Chamber’s specialised centres also provide support to the private sector through services covering commercial arbitration, product identification and standards, social investment, commercial excellence and economic research.

The Oman Centre for Commercial Arbitration, established in 2021, provides arbitration, mediation and conciliation services for commercial disputes. The total value of claims registered since its establishment reached approximately RO 138.5 million by the end of 2025, while the Centre had registered 128 commercial arbitrators, nine mediators and 56 experts.

The Oman GS1 Numbering Centre supports Omani products by providing internationally recognised product identification services. Between 2022 and 2025, the Centre registered 383 companies.

The Social Investment Centre has signed 18 cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding with government and private institutions and implemented 26 initiatives and projects between 2024 and 2026.

The Chamber’s Franchise Centre has organised five editions of its franchise programme since 2023, with participation rising from 155 to 3,400 participants by 2026. The programme has also supported brands in signing more than 220 franchise agreements in 22 countries.

The Centre for Economic Research and Studies completed 149 economic reports and studies and provided 116 economic consultations between 2023 and April 2026, supporting economic policymaking, business development and improvements to the investment environment.

The Chamber also launched the Omani Financial Manager Programme in 2023 in cooperation with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in India (ICAI). The programme aims to develop future financial leaders in accounting, finance, resource management, risk management and strategic planning.

Between 2023 and 2026, seven editions of the programme were organised in five governorates, attracting more than 385 participants.

To strengthen Oman’s international economic presence, the Chamber operates trade offices in Taipei and the United States, promoting trade and investment opportunities and facilitating access to international markets for Omani businesses.

From 2023 to April 2026, the Oman Trade Office in Taipei completed 3,073 certified documents, conducted 47 visits and meetings with officials and investors and participated in 49 events.

During the past year, the Omani Trade Office in the United States provided activities and seminars benefiting more than 423 participants, including more than 130 Omanis and 293 Americans. It also provided 256 consultations, held 153 meetings with officials involved in the business sector, participated in 27 trade fairs and events and organised eight virtual workshops.

The Chamber said these efforts form part of its broader role in supporting Oman’s private sector, strengthening international business links, expanding investment opportunities and contributing to the objectives of Oman Vision 2040.

Zakaria bin Abdullah Al Saadi, CEO of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), said the Chamber has been working since the beginning of its current term to establish a new phase of institutional development based on clear strategic directions aimed at improving the business environment, supporting economic diversification, developing governorate economies, strengthening governance and accelerating digital transformation.

He explained that a workshop held to develop the Chamber’s strategic directions reflected a participatory approach, with the participation of more than 300 people, alongside representatives of 20 government and private-sector entities.

Al Saadi stressed that digital transformation represents a strategic pillar of the Chamber’s work. The Chamber is accelerating the development of its technological infrastructure and electronic services to improve operational efficiency, enhance beneficiaries’ experience, expand access to economic data and information and create a more integrated working environment.

He said the transformation is intended to support a more flexible and responsive Chamber capable of anticipating changes, while being integrated with improvements to governance and performance management.

These improvements include clarifying powers and responsibilities, developing policies and procedures, activating performance indicators, strengthening transparency and accountability and measuring the actual impact of programmes and initiatives.

Al Saadi noted that the Chamber has also developed an integrated institutional methodology for designing programmes, initiatives and events.

The methodology is based on the objectives of Oman Vision 2040, the Chamber’s legally assigned roles and responsibilities, the directions of the Board of Directors and the Chamber’s strategic objectives.

It also takes into account the needs of the private sector, input from sectoral committees, Chamber branches and various business-community stakeholders, as well as local, regional and global economic developments and emerging opportunities in promising sectors.

He explained that the Chamber uses specific criteria when selecting events to ensure quality and economic feasibility. These include the event’s connection to economic priorities, its national importance, the size of its target beneficiaries, its potential to generate investment and commercial opportunities, strengthen partnerships and facilitate the transfer of knowledge and expertise.

Each event is assigned economic objectives, target groups and sectors, implementation and supervision responsibilities, required resources, performance indicators and expected outcomes from the planning stage.

The Chamber has also developed an integrated system for measuring the impact of its initiatives and events using defined criteria and weighted indicators across three main dimensions: implementation efficiency, benefits to participants and target groups, and the economic impact generated by the initiative.

Al Saadi said this methodology enables objective assessment of results, identification of strengths and areas for improvement and provision of reliable information to support decision-making.

The impact assessment system covers a wide range of Chamber activities, including meetings, seminars, conferences, economic studies, trade delegations, exhibitions, training programmes, initiatives and projects.

It also includes follow-up assessments after events to measure results that may take time to materialise, such as business deals, investment opportunities, partnerships, knowledge transfer and improvements in institutional performance.

The forum also featured the honouring of the heads and members of the Chamber’s sectoral committees at its main centre, in recognition of their efforts in monitoring and discussing challenges facing different economic sectors.

The committees also contribute by presenting views and proposals to support the development of the business environment, strengthening communication and partnership between the private sector and relevant authorities, and helping formulate initiatives and solutions that serve Oman’s private sector.